London 1893. When Cora Seaborne's controlling husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness. Along with her son Francis - a curious, obsessive boy - she leaves town for Essex, in the hope that fresh air and open space will provide refuge.
On arrival, rumours reach them that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming lives, has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for superstition, is enthralled, convinced that what the local people think is a magical beast may be a yet-undiscovered species. As she sets out on its trail, she is introduced to William Ransome, Aldwinter's vicar, who is also deeply suspicious of the rumours, but thinks they are a distraction from true faith.
As he tries to calm his parishioners, Will and Cora strike up an intense relationship, and although they agree on absolutely nothing, they find themselves at once drawn together and torn apart, affecting each other in ways that surprise them both.
The Essex Serpent is a celebration of love, and the many different shapes it can take.
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I liked The Essex Serpent quite a lot but I did not love it and this has left me slightly disappointed. I anticipated a suspenseful read about a monstrous creature terrorising the locality but instead it was a story driven by a cast of interesting and diverse characters accompanied by wonderful world-building. There is lyrical writing which at times left me wondering what had actually just occurred, but mostly what kept me reading was an extremely capable female protagonist and subplots that were satisfying. The characters and relationships between them all felt very real and this is what kept me invested until the very end, even if I did want more of the mythical Essex Serpent. Overall I will look for more of Sarah Perry’s work in the future, I’ll just know what to expect next time around. - Emma (QBD)
Guest, 24/08/2017
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Beautifully written, with wonderfully complex and compelling characters, The Essex Serpent was a book I loved living in. In turn unsettling, heartwarming, and witty, this is my book of 2017. Each sentence is a marvellous construction, and the novel's meditations on love and friendship show the many forms that both can take. - Madeleine (QBD)
Guest, 29/07/2017
